Thank you for your input! You will see a selection of articles relevant to your profile. Click the Redo button to reset your choices or see all articles.

Knee Preservation: How It Can Help to Prevent Major Surgeries

Dr Tan Chyn Hong, orthopaedic surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, explains how you can avoid total knee replacement surgeries with knee preservation arthroscopy while you are still young.

If your knee is damaged beyond repair, this condition is known as arthritis, and will require a totalknee replacement(TKR)surgery with metal and plastic components.

But did you know that the metal and plastic parts used in this surgery have a shelf life of only about 15 – 20 years?

This means if you undergo TKR fairly early in life, you will most likely need to have the procedure done once more. It requires a traditional open surgery and a stay of at least 4 days in the hospital. The recovery period for this is usually 3 – 6 months, in comparison to keyhole surgery. It may also present higher risks and complication rates.

Due to these concerns, it is natural for patients with knee conditions to look for an alternative. The answer could be preserving the knee early instead of going for a replacement in future.

What is knee preservation arthroscopy?

Knee preservation arthroscopy (KPA) is a range of keyhole procedures performed to treat structural damage in the knees early.

“If you’re young and active and put a lot of stress on your joints due to your lifestyle or hobbies, you should watch out for emerging problems like ligament injuries, cartilage damage, and meniscus tears,” says Dr Tan.

If you have these conditions, you can choose to go for KPA, where a minor keyhole procedure can prevent the conditions from worsening and causing a need for a major knee replacement surgery in future.

“Most people think that arthritis comes with old age and that nothing can be done to preserve their knees,” says Dr Tan.

“The goal of knee preservation is to prevent irreversible damage to the knee that will require total knee replacement, particularly in younger patients.”

Who is KPA suitable for?

Knee preservation arthroscopy is usually performed on younger patients below 50 years oldwho havestructural damage in their knees, due to knee injuries such as:

Ligament tears: This causes the knee to become unstable, leading to further damage to other structures of the knee. A KPA procedure can reconstruct the ligament and correct its instability to preserve the longevity of other parts of the knee.

Knee cartilage damage: This can be treated with arthroscopic stem cell therapy, another KPA procedure, where the cartilage is regenerated with the use of stem cells.

Meniscustear: If you have a meniscus tear, you should preserve it by repairing it to retain its shock-absorbing properties. If you damage your meniscus badly and have it removed, it will lead to accelerated wear and tear of the knee, and early arthritis.

“It is a better idea to have a minor surgery when you’re young than a major one when you’re older,” advises Dr Tan. “This will prevent your condition from degenerating to a state where you will need a joint replacement later in your life.”

Talk to us

Send me health tips & articles

By clicking Submit, I agree to Parkway Group’s Terms & Conditions & Privacy Policy and understand that I may opt out of Parkway Group’s subscriptions at any time.

About Mount Elizabeth

Mount Elizabeth has been serving Asia Pacific for over 30 years as a leading medical hub, earning the trust of patients with its strategic pairing of exceptional medical talents with advanced technology.

Staffed by a large team of dedicated professionals and a diverse mix of highly skilled specialists, both hospitals have received the renowned Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation of quality care.

Whatever your health concern may be, our specialists and nurses are here to help you achieve the best possible quality of life.